The College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) kicked off on June 9th in Casper, Wyoming, bringing together nearly 400 cowboys and cowgirls from 100 universities and colleges for an intense week of rodeo competition.  The CNFR enlists the best of the best in college athletes from 11 regions, showcasing athleticism and relentless determination under the lights at the Ford Wyoming Center.

The CNFR marathon week tests that skills and consistency as the collegiate athletes compete in three rounds of competition.  The top 12 cumulative times/scores advance to the Short Go to determine who will be crowned National Champions.

North Dakota had ten (10) college athletes qualify to compete at the Rose Bowl of Rodeos.   The qualifiers represented colleges from Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana and North Dakota; Jayson Carl, Tel Sorenson, Lathan DeMontigny, Clayton Backhaus, Cole Gerhardt, Cashae McGee, Jory Boote, Riley Staton, Luke Mavity, Trevor Sorge.

Each round North Dakota qualifiers brought the heat in their qualified events, shaping it up to an exciting week of rodeo action.  Calyton Backhaus, Black Hills State University and Lan Fuhrer, South Dakota State University, took home the round win in Team Roping.  It was a nail-biting week as the team held on to the lead in the average heading into the Short Go.  As the top 12 battled it out, Backhaus/Fuhrer Team landed third in the Nation!

Team Ropers: Lan Fuhrer, SDSU, & Clayton Backhaus, BHSU. [Photo: Jackie Jensen Photography]